Poonam Sarkar, PhD

Dr. Poonam Sarkar's current work is focused on preclinical imaging and developing new imaging methods with a focus on cancer research and cardiac function. She is trained as a biochemist and cell and molecular biologist. She joined Department of Pediatrics at Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine in 2014. She uses her experience and knowledge from the different fields of biomedical research to design complex molecular imaging projects and help investigators achieve their scientific objectives.

Dr. Sarkar is responsible for imaging and analyzing data from PET/SPECT/CT, and ultrasounds for investigators. She trains users on various modalities, such as: ultrasound, irradiator, fluorescence microscope and optical imaging. Dr. Sarkar’s basic training in biochemistry helped her to establish radio-labeling of proteins/peptides and antibody for PET and SPECT imaging.

Prior to joining Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Sarkar extensively contributed her research in understanding the toxicology of Acrolein and Dioxin. She also studied activation of telomerase in Dioxin toxicity. Other landmark contributions of her work involves the effects of microgravity on the brain proteome in collaboration with researchers from NASA.